Design Ideas for Your Sketchbook
An EXTENDED
Shari Blaukopf Online
Sketching & Watercolour Painting Course
At an in-person workshop some years ago, I asked my students to sketch three scenes on a single page. When we compared our finished pages later, my students wondered why my page looked different. Somehow, more unified. Elements just seeming to “fit” together.
What they couldn’t see was the invisible grid I use to create visual hierarchy and unity. How I use colour, shape and size to lead the eye and build narrative. And how I “box” my shapes to give them a three-dimensional pop.
Where did I learn all that? Well, after a long career as a university-trained graphic designer and design teacher, arranging elements on a page is intuitive. So is adding pop!
That's what I want to share in this course. How a few easily mastered techniques can elevate your sketchbook pages from individual episodes to integrated, eye-popping narratives.
Graphic design and watercolour sketching.
My two passions, now in one EXTENDED course
Design Ideas for Your Sketchbook is different from my other courses because it’s EXTENDED. Packed with even more info, ideas, illustrations and tips for making your sketchbook pages fun and satisfying to create, and a joy to share with others.
Plus, I've added a bonus PDF book, SHARI'S 25 SKETCHBOOK PAGES, which you can download with this course. Its 25 full-colour pages, culled from my personal sketchbooks, will illustrate, guide and, I hope, inspire you to design your own eye-popping sketchbook pages.
BONUS DOWNLOADABLE PDF!
SHARI’S 25
SKETCHBOOK PAGES
Exclusive bonus when you buy Design Ideas for Your Sketchbook! Shari’s 25 Sketchbook Pages includes pages from my personal sketchbooks, where I use the Elements and Principles of Design to “tell a story.” Each page is annotated with its own backstory, and there’s an introduction to set the scene. You’ll find lots of examples to help you elevate your own sketchbook pages.
In this nearly 4-hour course, we’ll cover:
DESIGN THEORY: We’ll identify the 7 Elements and 9 Principles of Design. I’ll show you the publication grid I used for years on the job, and that I continue to apply in my sketchbook pages.
DESIGN PRACTICE: Then we’ll put theory into practice. You'll see me use the 7 Elements and 9 Principles of Design in two demos, giving my sketchbook pages a lively, unified three-dimensionality.
SKETCHING PRACTICE: Along the way, I’ll share my techniques for sketching trees, architectural structures and reflections on water. Not to mention practice in sketching from life, as we capture a tabletop of colourful garden vegetables in our sketchbooks.
LETTERING: We’ll also practice letter forms and fonts. I’ll show you how I place words on a sketchbook page to create an added layer of pictorial interest and information.
What you’ll practice & learn in this course:
- How to use Design Elements such as Value, Shape, Colour and Form, and Principles such as Contrast, Unity, Pattern and Scale to integrate multiple sketches on a sketchbook page
- How to use those same Elements and Principles whether you’re sketching from reference images or life
- How to plan for success, by doing a thumbnail pencil sketch before committing to ink
- How to create fresh and lively sketches by also practicing my proven watercolour techniques
By the end of this course, my goal is for you to apply everything you’ve learned to your own sketchbooks. The ones you take on trips, on walks or when you work in studio.
Watch the course trailer!
Course Length: 3.5+ hours
Skill Level: All Levels
The EXTENDED Design Ideas for Your Sketchbook includes:
- 3 full-length video demos, including a hand lettering demo, that you can watch at your own pace, as many times as you like
- A separate design theory lesson, where I’ll discuss the 7 Elements and 9 Principles of Design, and how to integrate them into your sketchbook
- Closeup views of my brush and paper so you can see the relationship between the wetness of brush and dampness of paper
- My bonus Shari's 25 Sketchbook Pages, which you can download and use as reference and inspiration to design your own sketchbook pages
- Downloadable reference images, so you can draw and paint along while watching my demos
- A detailed list of materials, along with my video show-and-tell of tools and materials
- A comments section where you can ask questions and post your finished sketchbook pages
Course Curriculum
- Reference Photo Review Demo & Downloadable Reference Images (3:54)
- Boathouses: Planning Demo (5:15)
- Boathouses: Pencil Drawing Demo (12:01)
- Boathouses: Ink Drawing Demo (24:33)
- Boathouses: First Washes Demo (8:34)
- Boathouses: Second Washes Demo (14:20)
- Boathouses: Darks & Reflections Demo (12:19)
- Boathouses: Details Demo (10:56)
- Boathouses: Lettering & Final Details Demo (15:24)
- Final Boathouses Sketch
FAQ
How long is this course?
It’s almost 4 hours in duration, and includes design theory, and TWO full-length demos plus one practice exercise so you can strengthen your skills.
How long will I have access to this course?
Once you sign up, the course is yours to watch as often as you like.
Who is this course for?
This is a course that any sketcher with basic drawing and watercolour skills can follow. We cover all the steps, including a planning sketch, a pencil drawing and watercolour painting.
What tools will I need?
We’ll cover drawing and painting tools in some detail at the start of the course, and you can download a list of materials.
Will I have access to all the lessons at once?
Yes, once you register you’ll have access to all the lessons so you can start learning, drawing and painting immediately.
How do I find the courses I am enrolled in?
Go to the top of the page and look for the "My Courses" tab. All the courses you have registered for are right there.
